WEEK 8 -- MESA, AZ

hahahah yeah what the heck! ;) NO you're a great "MAW" lol. hahaha I know right?! I heard "Elder Jensen!" hahahah and I was like what the.... I was soo happy to see them and talk to them! I got their numbers and stuff so they said they would take us out or something or if we needed anything! It was great! yikes, I hate being sick.. hahah I've had a sore throat since i left the MTC which is strange.. hahah so hopefully it goes away. It's crazy cause It didn't feel like the holidays at all!! But it makes up for it being out here!!:) hahahahahha connner!!! so funny! Have you guys been blessed?? Everyone always says you guys get blessed along with the missionary and I'm so happy you guys are being blessed! I've been praying for everyone lately.. How are they all doing? thank you so much for everything you've done for me! You're the best Mommy!

Hahhah so I don't even remember what to talk about.. there's been so much! First I'll just start out by saying how awesome christmas was!!! There's an investigator who doesn't have like anything... no home, car, phone, nothing! just her and her kids. It's wayy sad!! So we've been trying to help her, so we went and got presents and stuff and It was just amazing seeing how happy they were and like how much we helped them! It was amazing! umm... lately I've been studying humility. Because before this week I just wanted to feel so close to the lord!! I had an awesome experience while studying humility and now because I've made some changes I've felt so much closer to the lord! The way I think is different and I've felt the spirit so much stronger when I've testified!! hahahah so the spanish is slowly slowly slowly coming.. I expected it to come like right away but I was so wrong.. hahah I've been understanding more but I can't really contribute a whole lot but It's coming! I promise I will keep a better journal so I can write more in my weekly emails! It's just crazy how nice people are when you go out of your way to be nice to them! I love feeling the spirit with me all the time!! Oh we also had a reference from the christmas lights and we went and talked with him and he like totally believed everything that was said! hahah like we were like do you believe joseph smith was a prophet and he was like "claro!" hahha which means like clearly! hahaha so he said he would prepare to get baptized! hmm.. when we went to this one appartment complex this one guy saw us and like ran away and his friends were like go talk to him he's mormon and he was like nooo i'm catholic and ran away. hahaha I love you guys!! I know heavenly father is always there for us, we just have to seek him and truly want what we are seeking for and asking with faith! I know he is just waiting to help us! 

WEEK 7 - FIRST WEEK IN ARIZONA

Hey family! So it's been great since I got here! The night we got here I got to go on like a little missionary night experience thing! It's been awesome! I love being a missionary! So my trainer is Elder Fenton! He's great!! He's been out for about 14 months! He's such a great missionary and he loves to work!! It's been great working with him!

So Wednesday night we were out visiting references and we ran into a couple kids named Eduardo and Kevin! I swear Hispanics are the nicest!! Hahaha I have yet to wave at a Hispanic person and have them not wave back!! They're awesome!! Hahah we had dinner with a couple of families and like I didn't understand a whole lot at all and I would kind of just sit there!! Hahaha but they understand I'm just a white kid who doesn't know Spanish!

The area we're in is central Mesa! It's super there's so much work!! We have tons of referrals from the temple!! I honestly love being a missionary! Like sometimes I'll miss home a little but then we have a great lesson and you can just feel the spirit work through you and it's the best feeling ever and I just love being a missionary! So they're so nice!! Hahaha like we were talking to a guy we found and you could tell he just wasn't having any of it! He was a hardcore Catholic! But he was so nice so he just listened to us!!

And yesterday I fasted that I could understand Spanish more!! And holy cow l just wanna testify that I know if we're doing all we can fasting and prayer definitely works! Because after fasting and praying I understood SO MUCH MORE!! It's crazy!! We found this one referral and I shared Helaman 5:12 and shared a spiritual thought about it and I felt the spirit so strong and afterwards my companion was like "hey elder Jensen, do you realize that you spoke almost perfect Spanish while you were reading that and testifying!" I know that's like a crazy missionary story but it's so real!! I love this gospel and I know that there's no where else I need to be, and I know this gospel can bless us in so many ways!

I can't wait to talk to you guys! I love you guys!!! You guys are the best family I could ever ask for and I love all of you guys!!:) tell Conner I'm out of the "Empty sea".

Farewell MTC!!

finally got some pics for ya! haha

Elder Jordan Jensen's  final day at the MTC.  First picture is of him at the airport, ready to leave.  Second picture is of him and his MTC companion, Elder E.; third  picture is of his district at the MTC.

Life at the MTC

Questionnaire #2 from Mom

QUESTIONNAIRE #2:
1. How many computers are available when you get time to check your email? A whole room.
2. What else do you do on P day? We do laundry, play basketball, workout, go to the temple…that’s it.
3. What time do you do your physical activity—morning or evening? Usually mid-morning.
4. Will you get to be a host to new missionaries every week? No, just whenever they need us.
5. Do you speak Spanish even when you go to the cafeteria? Mas a menos
6. What about when you are in your dorm room. Do you speak Spanish then as well? Not usually; we try to tho’.
7. How many different Spanish instructors do you have? 2 – Hermana Thomas & Hermano Clark
8. Is the MTC gated all the way around it? Yes!
9. Is the temple usually full when you go on Saturdays? Yes.
10. Have you recognized anyone at the temple when you’ve been there? No.
11. What do you usually eat for breakfast? Cereal-hahaha. For lunch? Dinner? Whatever they have. Hahaha.
12. Do you usually go with your companion or do you do almost everything with your district? Usually all the elders in our district—we’re way close. Sometimes Hermanas annoy us. Hahaha.
13. Have you done anything during sacrament meeting, like speak or pass the sacrament, etc? Me and my companion prepared and blessed it in Espanol.
14. Just curious—do you hang up your clothes on the hangers or just throw them on the floor? Hangers—hahaha.
15. How many floors is your dorm? 4 Which floor are you on? First, which is nice.
16. What has made you laugh the hardest since you’ve been there? Everyday is hilarious!!
17. What does everyone think of your tooth? They love it!!
18. Do they have a nickname for you? “Nancy-boy” LOL. I actually have no idea how I got that name!
19. Have you fallen asleep in class? No, in choir, yes.
20. Who makes sure you are doing all the things you are supposed to do? No one, really. It’s nice to take accountability.

Finally leaving!!!

Heyyyoooo yah!! So I leave on Tuesday! ahhaha I'm super ready to get outta here! This week was super boring.. hahah all I really have to say is that I've just been trying to pound the conjugations into my head! But yeah there really hasn't been anything huge going on! Last night I got siiickkkk... The last week in the MTC!!! Hahahah I was hoping to make it through without being sick but I didn't quite make it! I'm sooo pumped to leave! Oh I also sent a package today with some stuff I didn't need and the SD cards! I mean if you guys even want to see pictures..;) So we got to host this last wednesday.. Oh yeah and then that's when that Stephanie Nielson lady took a picture with us! We watched her videos and stuff and it's super sad. I couldn't even imagine living the life she has to! We're so blessed and we don't even realize! So that was cool! Then on Friday our teacher Hermano Clark gave us a really good lesson on becoming a missionary and not just being someone how does missionary things. Super motivating! I just want to work as hard as I can to become a missionary and not just Jordan who does missionary things. I can't wait to get out in the field and actually feel like a missionary and not just sit in classes forever! Sorry this one is shorter but there's just not a whole lot to write about! Love you guys! Be expecting a call from me in the not so distant future:)

They called him "darling"

On December 9th, Elder Jensen happened to be "famous" by being in Stephanie Nielsen's Instagram from that day.  She and her husband are dynamic people.  They volunteer at the MTC each Wednesday.  On this day, Jordan was assigned to act as host to newly arriving missionaries, and they were all hosting together.  His big smile shows how happy he is!!

Last Weeeeekkkk

This is the last week in the MTC! It's crazy how fast everything goes by! I'm so excited but I still feel like I can't speak spanish.... :} hahah but I know I'll be blessed If i keep working hard! So tuesday morning I have to go to the travel office here at 3:35 A.M. hahah and then I'm pretty sure they'll bus us over to the Airport! So my guess is that I'll be able to start talking around 5?? hahah If anyone wants to wake up that early to talk to me??? :D lol So My flight leaves at 8:35 so I think I'll have quite a bit of time to talk! But about the spanish! So I can basically get my point across but It sounds like I have bad case of gringoitis. I've been trying to pound the conjugations into my brain and So far I have Present, future, preterit (kind of) and Imperfect (kind of) they said those are like the stems of what you'll use so I decided to practice the crap outta those! There are some other conjugations that are easier that I have down too, but It's amazing how fast you can learn a language here! Like It's been a month and It's crazy that I can blabble on about something in spanish and that the native speakers can kind of understand me! OH! that's the other thing! The native speakers will always come and hangout in our class and It's awesome to just try and talk to them and they help us out a ton! I love It! So on monday we became the oldest district in our zones! Our branch president (who speaks spanish) told us that we are probably one of the best districts as far as spanish goes  that he's had in a long time! He said he's really impressed with our espanol yo!!! I'm a district leader now! hahah which doesn't mean a ton. I'm in charge of handing out mail which I guess is cool. haha no but I love being a leader and helping others!  I really feel like there's not a whole lot to write about. Everyday is basically the same.. On Thursday we got to teach someone over skype! That lived in Florida! That was awesome! It was really hard to understand her but I shared a scripture about the atonement and me and my companion bore our testimonies and the spirit was crazy strong! Even over skype! So cool! I ran into a kid from layton high! So that was cool to talk to him!

 For my little thought of the week or whatever I just want to talk about obedience! It's something that I've been thinking a lot about lately! There's a lot of rules that I don't understand why it's so important to keep like I can't chew gum in the MTC or in public in the field and even tho I don't know why It's important I have been trying to follow that rule and I have noticed I've been happier and I've been learning more and just I feel more peace! Something you hear a lot here is "STRICT OBEDIENCE" and at first I was like yeahhhh.... whatever! hahah But it is true! As I've been keeping little rules like waking up at 6:30 and not chewing gum I've been able to learn more spanish and I feel closer to god! I love It! Sorry this is totally cliche missionary but I want to share a couple sciptures with you guys!

2 nephi 33:4 It talks about nephi thinking his words are weak but the lord will make them strong to the people. hahaha if nephi thinks his words are weak then mine are... I don't even know what to compare them to lol. But I do know that I am not the teacher at all. I just have to live worthily for the holy ghost and Slap them spiritually with the holy ghost and let it do the teaching!

2 nephi 33:6 "I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell" BEST SCRIPTURE EVER haha for me!! I love it cause our gospel is made to be so simple, a lot of people like to try to make it into this deep thinking meditating process but i just try to look at it with plainness, and I do glory in jesus! I know that he has made me strong on my mission and He has saved me! and whenever I am sad and I just want to go home because I would rather watch regular show he picks me up and helps me carry on! Jesucristo es mi slavador y el es mi mejor amigo! I love you guys! I can't wait to be with you guys again but I love this work and I love everything the gospel has to offer! That's why I must serve! love you all! carrry on and pressforward:)

<3 Elder Jordan James Jensen